Murchison Falls National Park is located in Masindi District in western Uganda is situated approximately 300 kilometres (190 mi), by road, northwest of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city.
Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest national park. It measures approximately 3,840 square kilometres (1,480 sq mi). Also in the park, adjacent to the Masindi-Gulu Highway, are the Karuma Falls,
The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile from east to west for a distance of about 115 kilometres (71 mi). The park is the location of the famous Murchison Falls, where the waters of the majestic Nile River squeeze through a narrow gorge, only 7 metres (23 ft) wide, before plunging 43 metres (141 ft) below.
It is named for the Murchison Falls waterfall, the centerpiece of the park and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids. The mighty cascade drains the last of the river’s energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles. Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes and buffaloes; while hippos, Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents.
In Murchison there are four of the “big five”. Buffalos, elephants, lions, leopards are best to be seen in the northern part (above the Nile). Due to excessive hunting and poaching, Rhinos became extinct by 1983, but were re-introduced into Uganda in 2005 by Rhino Fund Uganda. White rhinos are now being bred again in the 7000ha Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, which is located 70 km south of the park; their mission is to reintroduce small herds of rhinos (around five at a time), whilst retaining a nucleus breeding herd in the sanctuary.
Boat trips operate from Paraa to the foot of Murchison Falls and take around 3 hours. These enable you to see hippos, crocodiles and magnificent bird life close up.
Adventure along the Nile while in Murchison falls National is unmatched!
A couple enjoying the sunset at the top of the Murchison falls.
When the boat approaches, a school of hippos will splash from their resting place where they have been lying submerged into the security of deeper water. Normally they stay there, snorting and blowing as they break the surface for a quick peek between dives.
Crocodiles lie basking on sunny banks, until they sense a boat approaching and vanish swiftly into the waters not to be seen again.
Elephants, buffaloes, giraffes and a number of grazers turn up in numbers in the afternoon hours to quench their thirst after hours of serious grazing and browsing in the morning.
For bird lovers, the Nile is a birding paradise. Birds are everywhere! Cormorants pursue fish in open waters, pied kingfishers hover and dive, while the tiny gemlike kingfisher awaits it’s chance to strike from a stem perch.
Fish eagles are conspicuous in fever trees at the lakeside, their piercing cries frequently announcing their presence.
Goliath and purple herons, black crake and at times shoebills all stalk the edges of the river bank marshes.
These water birds attract notice from even the most base visitors; many are large, gorgeously coloured and highly visible.
There are also nature walks to the top of the falls and at Kaniyo Pabidi, where you can trek chimpanzees.
Kampala to Paraa takes around 5 hours and a 4WD vehicle is recommended.
The 1951 film “The African Queen” starring Humphrey Bogart was filmed on Lake Albert and the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park